What are you listening 2 now?

[Mapman]

Janáček: Sinfonietta
Masur: New York

A great piece and good recording, although I have heard better. (This disc came from a library sale.)

[classicalgeek]

One of my favourite boxes of anything  Soooo glad to see someone sharing my opinion on Landowski ! 

Based on hearing a couple of his works, it's really tempting to pick that box up! There's a used copy on eBay for about $80; I'm not able to buy it now, but perhaps in the somewhat-near future (if it's still available at that price.) And I want to pick up the Harald Genzmer box too (which you also recommended!) That's in addition to hundreds of other discs on my wishlist...

Try Symphony No.4 - it is more approachable but just as compelling (there are two recordings on Ondine and one on BIS - all v good IMO). I find the searching ending of the 4th Symphony to be very moving.

Will do, Jeffrey! Thanks for the recommendation.

TD:
Sir Eugene Goossens
*Phantasy Concerto
Symphony no. 1
*Howard Shelley, piano
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
Richard Hickox
(on Spotify)



Pleasant enough music, but nothing stood out to me...

[Mirror Image]

Continuing with Guarnieri's symphonies (Symphony No. 4, "Brasilia") with Neschling leading the São Paulo SO:

[Mirror Image]

And now Disc 2 of the Holmboe Chamber Concertos (Chamber Concertos Nos. 4, 5 & 6) box set:

[Cato]

Thanks Cato, they seem to have a lot of files. Are they copies of CD and vinyl releases?

Yes, and of many other types of recordings!

The quality at times is, therefore, variable!

[classicalgeek]

Continuing with Guarnieri's symphonies (Symphony No. 4, "Brasilia") with Neschling leading the São Paulo SO:

Very nice! I've loved everything I've heard by Guarnieri so far.

TD:
Erkki Melartin
Traumgesicht
*Marjatta
The Blue Pearl
*Soile Isokoski, soprano
Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra
Hannu Lintu
(on Spotify)



Now this is an absolutely gorgeous disc! It's like Sibelius and Richard Strauss had a love child - maybe a Finnish Vitezslav Novak? It's all plush harmonies and soaring melodies and stunning orchestration - my kind of music!

[André]

Based on hearing a couple of his works, it's really tempting to pick that box up! There's a used copy on eBay for about $80; I'm not able to buy it now, but perhaps in the somewhat-near future (if it's still available at that price.) And I want to pick up the Harald Genzmer box too (which you also recommended!) That's in addition to hundreds of other discs on my wishlist...

Will do, Jeffrey! Thanks for the recommendation.

TD:
Sir Eugene Goossens
*Phantasy Concerto
Symphony no. 1
*Howard Shelley, piano
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
Richard Hickox
(on Spotify)



Pleasant enough music, but nothing stood out to me...

👍   

I paid 32.69$Cad for the Landowski box (about 25$USD). Maybe there's a better price somewhere ? I see it for 45 euros at FNAC.

Recension of the box on Musicweb: http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2010/June10/Warner_Landowski_2564695917.htm

The Genzmer box is still around for next to nothing !

[Mirror Image]

Very nice! I've loved everything I've heard by Guarnieri so far.

Yep, he's a fantastic. Looking forward to revisiting more of his works. Oh and if you weren't aware, there's a new recording of his music coming out --- a continuation of the Choros series on Naxos:



It comes out this Friday. Already preordered it.

[Mapman]

Haydn: Symphony #101 "Clock"
Mackerras: Orchestra of St. Luke's

[Mirror Image]

I think I'll end tonight's listening session with a Villa-Lobos marathon:

Here's what I'll be playing -

[kyjo]

It's about time I got caught up on posting some of my recent listening....

The entire disc:



Fortunately, despite his relatively neglect in the concert hall, the catalogue is not lacking great Honegger discs, and this is one of them. The 2nd Symphony receives a powerfully taut performance here, with all its complex counterpoint clearly registering, and the ending appropriately redemptive after the dark, anguished first two movements. It's nice to all three of the Trois Mouvements Symphoniques together, and I must say that the famous Pacific 231 is actually my least favorite of them! Rugby and the simply named Mouvement Symphonique no. 3 are marvelous works, full of Honegger's characteristic contrasts between angular counterpoint and eloquent lyricism. The late Monopartita is quite a rarity, but I didn't find to it be a very interesting work. And, of course, there is hardly a more crystalline, sunny jewel of a short orchestral work in the repertoire than the lovely Pastorale d'été....


Field: Piano Concerto no. 2



The first two movements are nice and pleasant but not too much more than that. But the finale! Oh, the finale! It's simply one of the most delightful movements penned during the early Romantic period, with an instantly memorable, lilting main tune that is sparklingly developed over the course of the movement.


Brouwer: Guitar Concerto no. 5 Helsinki



Brouwer's guitar concerti are always a pleasure to hear. His knowledge of how to write for the solo guitar is second to none, coupled with some imaginative orchestration. His style is modern while still being melodic and accessible.


Mozart: Piano Concerto no. 26 Coronation



One of my favorite PCs of his. Simply aristocratic and elegant (but not without contrast or drama) from start to finish, with some delicious harmonic twists and turns along the way.


Still: Symphony no. 1 Afro-American



I'd forgotten just how enjoyable this symphony is! It's not far from Gershwin in style (though not derivative), and anyone who wishes (like me) that Gershwin had composed more will find much to enjoy here. The scherzo even makes use of the same tune as I Got Rhythm!

[JBS]

From the Complete Studio Recordings box

Recorded at various points in the 1970s.
To my ears, not as good as his first recording. I think Jeno Jando on Naxos is still the best performance of this part of Liszt's work.

[Spotted Horses]

Mozart: Piano Concerto no. 26 Coronation



One of my favorite PCs of his. Simply aristocratic and elegant (but not without contrast or drama) from start to finish, with some delicious harmonic twists and turns along the way.

I have grown accustomed to linear notes claiming that this concerto is prosaic or of lower quality compared to the other Mozart PCs, but it has always been one of my favorites.

[Operafreak]

Sibelius: Symphony No. 5 in E flat major, Op. 82/ Sibelius: Symphony No. 6 in D minor, Op. 104-Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra-Klaus Mäkelä

[Mirror Image]

Sibelius: Symphony No. 5 in E flat major, Op. 82/ Sibelius: Symphony No. 6 in D minor, Op. 104-Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra-Klaus Mäkelä

And how have you been enjoy this cycle so far? I'm still on the fence about it. I've read many mixed reviews about, but the Gramophone and BBC Music Magazine are praising the hell out of it. Anyway, just curious to read your take on it.

[Mapman]

And how have you been enjoy this cycle so far? I'm still on the fence about it. I've read many mixed reviews about, but the Gramophone and BBC Music Magazine are praising the hell out of it. Anyway, just curious to read your take on it.

You didn't ask me, but I listened to the 6th a couple weeks ago. The main thing I remember is that the 2nd to last measure of the 2nd movement seemed to have an entire extra beat.

[kyjo]

Madetoja: Symphony no. 2 and Kullervo



For whatever reason, the first time I listened to this fine symphony I was slightly underwhelmed by it, given its esteemed reputation amongst like-minded listeners. Not so during this recent revisit! It's a beautiful, atmospheric, and organic work - not infrequently reminiscent of Sibelius, but none the worse for that I say! The work's link to the Finnish Civil War (in which Madetoja's brother perished) can be heard in the dramatic third movement and resigned (though not tragic or depressing) coda. Kullervo is a rousing tone poem that needn't blush beside Sibelius' Kalevala-inspired works. For my money, the best Madetoja disc on the market!


Brahms: Piano Sonata no. 3



One of my favorite piano sonatas - I especially love the imposing, Gothic nature of the first movement. And the whole work is filled with marvelous tunes! I thought this performance perhaps lacked a bit of forward motion in the first movement, but it's otherwise very fine.


Peteris Barisons: Symphony no. 2 Romantic



An example where a composer's neglected is justified, IMHO. It's certainly no match for Hanson's similarly titled 2nd Symphony, that's for sure! Really, this is just very generic stuff, going through the motions of late-romantic symphonic writing without contributing anything special or memorable to the proceedings. The slow movement was rather nice actually, but I lost patience before the finale and had to turn it off. Next!


Malipiero: random orchestral works



I found this disc to be a supreme disappointment compared to the other Malipiero/La Vecchia disc on Naxos featuring the early Impressioni dal vero and Pauze del silenzio. It confirmed my hunch that I find Malipiero's earlier works significantly more appealing than his later ones. The two later works, the Fantasie di ogni giorno and Passacaglie (from the 1950s), I found quite dry and uninteresting (and downright weird!), despite fine performances. The slightly earlier Concerti for Orchestra (1931) is the only work on the album I felt compelled to listen to in full. It's still quite reserved and acerbic, but has a certain interest in the way Malipiero spotlights different sections of the orchestra in each movement. I find it ironic how an Amazon reviewer called this music "lush and emotional" - I found it anything but! Perhaps Spotted Horses might find the music on this disc to be of higher quality that I did....


Hailstork: Symphony no. 2 (1995)



IMO, one of the finest works composed by an American in the past 30 or so years. It's a predominantly dark work inspired by his visit to Africa where he saw the dungeons where the slaves were kept before being sent overseas. A stabbing brass chord immediately grabs the attention at the very opening. A mysterious slow movement follows, with mysterious drum beats underpinning the texture at various points. But best of all are the scherzo and finale, which are filled with whirlwind energy and excitingly virtuosic orchestral writing. The contrast between dance-like elements and threating, looming catastrophe put me in mind of some of Malcolm Arnold's symphonic movements. Just thrilling stuff - Cesar, Jeffrey, anyone else know this work?

[Mirror Image]

You didn't ask me, but I listened to the 6th a couple weeks ago. The main thing I remember is that the 2nd to last measure of the 2nd movement seemed to have an entire extra beat.

Technical issues aside, what did he actually bring to the musical table that would make him stand apart from my own personal favorites like Karajan (DG), Berglund (Bournemouth), Bernstein (Columbia), Barbirolli, Vänskä (Lahti), Davis (BSO) and Segerstam (Helsinki)?

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

It's about time I got caught up on posting some of my recent listening....

The entire disc:



Fortunately, despite his relatively neglect in the concert hall, the catalogue is not lacking great Honegger discs, and this is one of them. The 2nd Symphony receives a powerfully taut performance here, with all its complex counterpoint clearly registering, and the ending appropriately redemptive after the dark, anguished first two movements. It's nice to all three of the Trois Mouvements Symphoniques together, and I must say that the famous Pacific 231 is actually my least favorite of them! Rugby and the simply named Mouvement Symphonique no. 3 are marvelous works, full of Honegger's characteristic contrasts between angular counterpoint and eloquent lyricism. The late Monopartita is quite a rarity, but I didn't find to it be a very interesting work. And, of course, there is hardly a more crystalline, sunny jewel of a short orchestral work in the repertoire than the lovely Pastorale d'été....


Field: Piano Concerto no. 2



The first two movements are nice and pleasant but not too much more than that. But the finale! Oh, the finale! It's simply one of the most delightful movements penned during the early Romantic period, with an instantly memorable, lilting main tune that is sparklingly developed over the course of the movement.


Brouwer: Guitar Concerto no. 5 Helsinki



Brouwer's guitar concerti are always a pleasure to hear. His knowledge of how to write for the solo guitar is second to none, coupled with some imaginative orchestration. His style is modern while still being melodic and accessible.


Mozart: Piano Concerto no. 26 Coronation



One of my favorite PCs of his. Simply aristocratic and elegant (but not without contrast or drama) from start to finish, with some delicious harmonic twists and turns along the way.


Still: Symphony no. 1 Afro-American



I'd forgotten just how enjoyable this symphony is! It's not far from Gershwin in style (though not derivative), and anyone who wishes (like me) that Gershwin had composed more will find much to enjoy here. The scherzo even makes use of the same tune as I Got Rhythm!

Yes, I like the Brouwer and Still recordings!

[Mapman]

Technical issues aside, what did he actually bring to the musical table that would make him stand apart from my own personal favorites like Karajan (DG), Berglund (Bournemouth), Bernstein (Columbia), Barbirolli, Vänskä (Lahti), Davis (BSO) and Segerstam (Helsinki)?

I think the technical issue also causes musical issues: it ruined the ending of the 2nd movement. It's the kind of interpretive decision that sticks out and makes you question whether it is in the score. In this case, it is not. The rest of the performance was fine, but not memorable. (The rest of the cycle could be better; I haven't heard it.)

I unfortunately don't know how it compares to your favorite recordings. (I am younger than many members here, and I generally prefer to explore new music instead of alternative recordings.) I can say that there are recordings (such as Karajan/EMI) that I prefer to Mäkelä, and that I have no plans to buy the Mäkelä. (If I were to buy another Sibelius cycle, it would probably be Davis/Boston.)